
OCTOBER 19TH, 2025
A PURITAN CATECHISM
11. What are God's works of providence?
God's works of providence are his most holy, wise, and powerful, preserving and governing all his creatures, and all their actions.
12. What special act of providence did God exercise toward man in the state wherein he was created?
When God had created man, he entered into a covenant of life with him, upon condition of perfect obedience; forbidding him to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, upon pain of death.
13. Did our first parents continue in the state wherein they were created?
Our first parents being left to the freedom of their own will, fell from the state wherein they were created, by sinning against God, by eating the forbidden fruit.
14. What is sin?
Sin is any lack of conformity to, or transgression of the law of God.
15. Did all mankind fall in Adam's first transgression?
The covenant being made with Adam, not only for himself but for his posterity, all mankind descending from him by ordinary generation, sinned in him, and fell with him in his first transgression.
WE COME O CHRIST TO YOU
We come, O Christ, to You, True Son of God and man,
By Whom all things consist, In Whom all life began:
In You alone we live and move,
And have our being in Your love.
You are the Way to God, Your blood our ransom paid;
In You we face our Judge And Maker unafraid.
Before the throne absolved we stand,
Your love has met Your law’s demand.
You are the living Truth! All wisdom dwells in You,
The Source of ev’ry skill, The One Eternal True!
O great I AM! In You we rest,
Sure answer to our ev’ry quest.
You only are true Life, To know You is to live
The more abundant life That earth can never give:
O Risen Lord! We live in You,
In us each day Your life renew!
We worship You, Lord Christ, Our Savior and our King,
To You our youth and strength Adoringly we bring:
So fill our hearts, that all may view
Your life in us, and turn to You!
APPROACH, MY SOUL, THE MERCY SEAT
Approach, my soul, the mercy seat
Where Jesus answers prayer
There humbly fall before His feet
For none can perish there
Your promise is my only plea
With this I venture nigh
You call out burdened souls to Thee
And such, O Lord, am I
Bowed down beneath a load of sin
By Satan sorely pressed
By wars without, and fears within
I come to Thee for rest
Be Thou my shield and hiding place
That, sheltered near Your side
I may my fierce accuser face
And tell him, You have died
O wondrous love! to bleed and die
To bear the cross and shame
That guilty sinners such as I
Might plead Your gracious Name
GOD IS OUR REFUGE AND OUR STRENGTH
(PSALM 46C)
God is our refuge and our strength
A present help in our distress
We will not therefore be afraid
Though all the earth should be removed
Though mountains great be hurled
Into the ocean’s depths
Though seas may roar and foam
And billows shake the shore
Though mountains tremble at their power
A river brings refreshing streams
To cheer the city of our God
The Most High’s holy dwelling place
God is in her; she won’t be moved
At dawn will God help her
The nations rage; realms quake
He lifts His voice; earth melts
The Lord of hosts with us!
Our fortress strong is Jacob’s God
O come, see what the Lord has done
He desolations brought on earth
On earth He puts an end to wars
Breaks bow and spear, and chariots burns
Be still! Know I am God
Exalted o’er all men
Exalted o’er all earth
The Lord of hosts with us!
Our fortress strong is Jacob’s God
SCRIPTURE READING
Numbers 25
APOSTLES' CREED
I believe in God the Father Almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ,
His only-begotten Son, our Lord,
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, dead, and buried.
He descended into hades.
The third day He rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven and sits
at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
From there He shall come to judge
the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
Amen.
BEFORE THEE LET MY CRY COME NEAR
(PSALM 119X)
Before Thee let my cry come near,
O Lord true to Thy word, teach me
Before Thee let my pleading come
True to Thy promise, rescue me
Since Thou Thy statutes teachest me,
O let my lips Thy praise confess
Yea of Thy word my tongue would sing
For Thy commands are righteousness
Be ready with Thy hand to help
Because Thy precepts are my choice
I’ve longed for Thy salvation Lord
And in Thy holy law rejoice
O let Thine ordinances help
My soul shall live and praise Thee yet
A straying sheep, Thy servant, seek
For Thy commands I ne’er forget
WONDERFUL, MERCIFUL SAVIOR
Wonderful, merciful Savior
Precious Redeemer and Friend
Who would have thought that a Lamb could
Rescue the souls of men?
Oh, you rescue the souls of men.
Counselor, Comforter, Keeper
Spirit we long to embrace
You offer hope when our hearts have
Hopelessly lost the way.
Oh, we’ve hopelessly lost the way.
You are the One that we praise
You are the One we adore
You give the healing and grace
Our hearts always hunger for
Oh, our hearts always hunger for.
Almighty infinite Father
Faithfully loving Your own
Here in our weakness You find us
Falling before Your throne
Oh, we’re falling before Your throne.
Refrain
AFFLICTED SAINT, TO CHRIST DRAW NEAR
Afflicted saint to Christ draw near
Your Savior's gracious promise hear
His faithful Word you can believe
That as your days your strength shall be
Your faith is weak your foes are strong
And if the conflict should be long
The Lord will make the tempter flee
That as your days your strength shall be
So sing with joy afflicted one
The battle's fierce but the victory's won
God shall supply all that you need
Yes as your days your strength shall be
Should persecution rage and flame
Still trust in your Redeemer's name
In fiery trials you shall see
That as your days your strength shall be
When called to bear your weighty cross
Or sore affliction pain or loss
Or deep distress or poverty
Still as your days your strength shall be
SERMON
Luke 15:25-32
COMPLETE IN THEE
Complete in Thee! No work of mine
May take, dear Lord, the place of Thine;
Thy blood hath pardon bought for me,
And I am now complete in Thee.
Yea, justified! O blessed thought!
And sanctified! Salvation wrought!
Thy blood hath pardon bought for me,
And glorified, I, too, shall be!
Complete in Thee! I die to sin.
Thy grace hath conquered, reign within,
Thy voice shall bid the tempter flee,
And I shall stand, complete in Thee.
Complete in Thee! each need supplied
And no good thing to me denied;
Since Thou my portion, Lord, will be,
I ask no more, complete in Thee.
Dear Savior! When before Thy bar
All tribes and tongues assembled are,
Among Thy chosen will I be,
At Thy right hand, complete in Thee.